forma 
nal 


LIBRARY 

UN    KbiTYOF 

CALIFORNIA 

SAN  DIEGO 


1 


RIDERS   TO  THE  SEA 


By 
J.  M.  SYNGE 


JOHN  W.  LUCE  &  COMPANY 
BOSTON     :::::::     1911 


Copyright,  1916, 
Br  L.  E.  BASSXTT 


INTRODUCTION 


It  must  have  been  on  Synge's  second  visit  to 
the  Aran  Islands  that  he  had  the  experience 
out  of  which  was  wrought  what  many  believe 
to  be  his  greatest  play.  The  scene  of  "Riders 
to  the  Sea"  is  laid  in  a  cottage  on  Inishmaan, 
the  middle  and  most  interesting  island  of  the 
Aran  group.  While  Synge  was  on  Inishmaan, 
the  story  came  to  him  of  a  man  whose  body 
had  been  washed  up  on  the  far  away  coast  of 
Donegal,  and  who,  by  reason  of  certain  pecu- 
liarities of  dress,  was  suspected  to  be  from  the 
island.  In  due  course,  he  was  recognised  as 
a  native  of  Inishmaan,  in  exactly  the  manner 
described  in  the  play,  and  perhaps  one  of  the 
most  poignantly  vivid  passages  in  Synge's  book 
on  "The  Aran  Islands"  relates  the  incident  of 
his  burial. 

The  other  element  in  the  story  which  Synge 

introduces  into  the  play  is  equally  true.    Many 

tales  of  "second  sight"  are  to  be  heard  among 

Celtic  races.    In  fact,  they  are  so  common  as 

VII 


RIDERS    TO    THE    SEA 

to  arouse  little  or  no  wonder  in  the  minds  of 
the  people.  It  is  just  such  a  tale,  which  there 
seems  no  valid  reason  for  doubting,  that  Synge 
heard,  and  that  gave  the  title,  "Riders  to  the 
Sea",  to  his  play. 

It  is  the  dramatist's  high  distinction  that  he 
has  simply  taken  the  materials  which  lay  ready 
to  his  hand,  and  by  the  power  of  sympathy 
woven  them,  with  little  modification,  into  a 
tragedy  which,  for  dramatic  irony  and  noble 
pity,  has  no  equal  among  its  contemporaries. 

Great  tragedy,  it  is  frequently  claimed  with 
some  show  of  justice,  has  perforce  departed 
with  the  advance  of  modern  life  and  its  com- 
plicated tangle  of  interests  and  creature  com- 
forts. A  highly  developed  civilisation,  with 
its  attendant  specialisation  of  culture,  tends 
ever  to  lose  sight  of  those  elemental  forces, 
those  primal  emotions,  naked  to  wind  and  sky, 
which  are  the  stuff  from  which  great  drama  is 
wrought  by  the  artist,  but  which,  as  it  would 
seem,  are  rapidly  departing  from  us. 

It  is  only  in  the  far  places,  where  solitary 
communion  may  be  had  with  the  elements,  that 
this  dynamic  life  is  still  to  be  found  continu- 
VIII 


RIDERS    TO    THE    SEA 

ously,  and  it  is  accordingly  thither  that  the 
dramatist,  who  would  deal  with  spiritual  life 
disengaged  from  the  environment  of  an  intel- 
lectual maze,  must  go  for  that  experience  which 
will  beget  in  him  inspiration  for  his  art. 

The  Aran  Islands  from  which  Synge  gained 
his  inspiration  are  rapidly  losing  that  sense  of 
isolation  and  self-dependence,  which  has  hith- 
erto been  their  rare  distinction,  and  which 
furnished  the  motivation  for  Synge's  master- 
piece. Whether  or  not  Synge  finds  a  successor, 
it  is  none  the  less  true  that  in  English  dramatic 
literature  "Riders  to  the  Sea"  has  an  historic 
value  which  it  would  be  difficult  to  over- 
estimate in  its  accomplishment  and  its  possi- 
bilities. A  writer  in  The  Manchester  Guardian 
shortly  after  Synge's  death  phrased  it  rightly 
when  he  wrote  that  it  is  "the  tragic  master- 
piece of  our  language  in  our  time;  wherever 
it  has  been  played  in  Europe  from  Galway  to 
Prague,  it  has  made  the  word  tragedy  mean 
something  more  profoundly  stirring  and 
cleansing  to  the  spirit  than  it  did." 

The  secret  of  the  play's  power  is  its  capacity 
for  standing  afar  off,  and  mingling,  if  we  may 
IX 


RIDERS    TO    THE    SEA 

say  so,  sympathy  with  relentlessness.  There 
is  a  wonderful  beauty  of  speech  in  the  words 
of  every  character,  wherein  the  latent  power 
of  suggestion  is  almost  unlimited.  "In  the 
big  world  the  old  people  do  be  leaving  things 
after  them  for  their  sons  and  children,  but  in 
this  place  it  is  the  young  men  do  be  leaving 
things  behind  for  them  that  do  be  old."  In 
the  quavering  rhythm  of  these  words,  there 
is  poignantly  present  that  quality  of  strange- 
ness and  remoteness  in  beauty  which,  as  we 
are  coming  to  realise,  is  the  touchstone  of 
Celtic  literary  art.  However,  the  very  ascet- 
icism of  the  play  has  begotten  a  corresponding 
power  which  lifts  Synge's  work  far  out  of  the 
current  of  the  Irish  literary  revival,  and  sets 
it  high  in  a  timeless  atmosphere  of  universal 
action. 

Its  characters  live  —  and  die.  It  is  their 
virtue  in  life  to  be  lonely,  and  none  but  the 
lonely  man  in  tragedy  may  be  great.  He  dies, 
and  then  it  is  the  virtue  in  life  of  the  women 
—  mothers  and  wives  and  sisters  —  to  be 
great  in  their  loneliness,  great  as  Maurya,  the 
stricken  mother,  is  great  in  her  final  word. 
X 


RIDERS    TO    THE    SEA 

"  Michael  has  a  clean  burial  in  the  far  north, 
by  the  grace  of  the  Almighty  God.  Bartley 
will  have  a  fine  coffin  out  of  the  white  boards, 
and  a  deep  grave  surely.  What  more  can  we 
want  than  that?  No  man  at  all  can  be  living 
for  ever,  and  we  must  be  satisfied." 

The  pity  and  the  terror  of  it  all  have 
brought  a  great  peace,  the  peace  that  passeth 
understanding,  and  it  is  because  the  play  holds 
this  timeless  peace  after  the  storm  which  has 
bowed  down  every  character,  that  "  Riders  to 
the  Sea "  may  rightly  take  its  place  as  the 
greatest  modern  tragedy  in  the  English 

tongue. 

EDWARD  J.  O'BRIEN. 

February  23,  1911. 


RIDERS  TO  THE  SEA 


RIDERS  TO  THE  SEA 
A  PLAY  IN  ONE  ACT 

First    performed    at    the    Molesworth    Hall, 
Dublin,  February  2$th,   1904. 

PERSONS 

MAURYA  (an  old  woman}  .  Honor  Lavelle 
BARTLEY  (her  son)  .  .  .  W.  G.  Fay 
CATHLEEN  (her  daughter)  Sarah  Allgood 
NORA  (a  younger  daughter)  Emma  Vernon 
MEN  AND  WOMEN 


RIDERS  TO  THE  SEA 
A  PLAY  IN  ONE  ACT 

First    performed    at    the   Molesworth    Hall, 
Dublin,  February  2$th,  1904. 

SCENE. —  An  Island  off  the  West  of  Ireland. 
(Cottage  kitchen,  with  nets,  oil-skins,  spin- 
ning wheel,  some  new  boards  standing  by  the 
wall,  etc.  Cathleen,  a  girl  of  about  tiventy, 
finishes  kneading  cake,  and  puts  it  down  in  the 
pot-oven  by  the  fire;  then  wipes  her  hands, 
and  begins  to  spin  at  the  wheel.  Nora,  a  young 
girl,  puts  her  head  in  at  the  door.) 

NORA 

In  a  low  voice. 
Where  is  she? 

CATHLEEN 

She's  lying  down,  God  help  her,  and  may  be 
sleeping,  if  she's  able. 

17 


RIDERS    TO    THE    SEA 

Nora  comes  in  softly,  and  takes  a 
bundle  from  under  her  shawl. 

CATHLEEN 

Spinning  the  wheel  rapidly. 
What  is  it  you  have? 

NORA 

The  young  priest  is  after  bringing  them. 
It's  a  shirt  and  a  plain  stocking  were  got  off 
a  drowned  man  in  Donegal. 

Cathleen   stops    her   wheel   with   a 
sudden  movement,  and  leans  out  to 

listen. 

NORA 

We're  to  find  out  if  it's  Michael's  they  are, 
some  time  herself  will  be  down  looking  by  the 
sea. 

CATHLEEN 

How  would  they  be  Michael's,  Nora.  How 
would  he  go  the  length  of  that  way  to  the  far 
north  ? 

NORA 

The  young  priest  says  he's  known  the  like 

of  it.     "  If  it's  Michael's  they  are,"  says  he, 

"you  can  tell  herself  he's  got  a  clean  burial 

by  the  grace  of  God,  and  if  they're  not  his, 

18 


RIDERS    TO    THE    SEA 

let  no  one  say  a  word  about  them,  for  she'll 
be  getting  her  death,"  says  he,  "  with  crying 
and  lamenting." 

The  door  which  Nora  half  closed  is 
blown  open  by  a  gust  of  wind. 

CATHLEEN 
Looking  out  anxiously. 

Did  you  ask  him  would  he  stop  Bartley 
going  this  day  with  the  horses  to  the  Galway 
fair? 

NORA 

"  I  won't  stop  him,"  says  he,  "  but  let  you 
not  be  afraid.  Herself  does  be  saying  prayers 
half  through  the  night,  and  the  Almighty  God 
won't  leave  her  destitute,"  says  he,  "  with  no 
son  living." 

CATHLEEN 
Is  the  sea  bad  by  the  white  rocks,  Nora? 

NORA 

Middling  bad,  God  help  us.  There's  a  great 
roaring  in  the  west,  and  it's  worse  it'll  be 
getting  when  the  tide's  turned  to  the  wind. 

She  goes  over  to  the  table  with  the 

bundle. 

Shall  I  open  it  now? 
19 


RIDERS  TO  THE  SEA 
CATHLEEN 

Maybe  she'd  wake  up  on  us,  and  come  in 
before  we'd  done. 

Coming  to  the  table. 

It's  a  long  time  we'll  be,  and  the  two  of  us 
crying. 

NORA 

Goes  to  the  inner  door  and  listens. 

She's  moving  about  on  the  bed.  She'll  be 
coming  in  a  minute. 

CATHLEEN 

Give  me  the  ladder,  and  I'll  put  them  up 
in  the  turf-loft,  the  way  she  won't  know  of 
them  at  all,  and  maybe  when  the  tide  turns 
she'll  be  going  down  to  see  would  he  be  float- 
ing from  the  east. 

They  put  the  ladder  against  the  gable 
of  the  chimney;  Cathleen  goes  up  a 
few  steps  and  hides  the  bundle  in 
the  turf-loft.  Maurya  comes  from 
the  inner  room. 

MAURYA 

Looking  up  at  Cathleen  and  speak- 
ing querulously. 

90 


RIDERS    TO    THE    SEA 

Isn't  it  turf  enough  you  have  for  this  day 
and  evening? 

CATHLEEN 

There's  a  cake  baking  at  the  fire  for  a  short 
space 

Throwing  down  the  turf 
and  Bartley  will  want  it  when  the  tide  turns 
if  he  goes  to  Connemara. 

Nora  picks  up  the  turf  and  puts  it 
round  the  pot-oven. 

MAURYA 
Sitting  down  on  a  stool  at  the  fire. 

He  won't  go  this  day  with  the  wind 
rising  from  the  south  and  west.  He  won't 
go  this  day,  for  the  young  priest  will  stop  him 
surely. 

NORA 

He'll  not  stop  him,  mother,  and  I  heard 
Eamon  Simon  and  Stephen  Pheety  and  Colum 
Shawn  saying  he  would  go. 

MAURYA 
Where  is  he  itself? 

NORA 

He  went  down  to  see  would  there  be  another 
ai 


RIDERS    TO    THE    SEA 

boat  sailing  in  the  week,  and  I'm  thinking  it 
won't  be  long  till  he's  here  now,  for  the  tide's 
turning  at  the  green  head,  and  the  hooker's 
tacking  from  the  east. 

CATHLEEN 
I  hear  some  one  passing  the  big  stones. 

NORA 

Looking  out. 
He's  coming  now,  and  he  in  a  hurry. 

BARTLEY 

Comes  in  and  looks  round  the  room. 
Speaking  sadly  and  quietly. 

Where  is  the  bit  of  new  rope,  Cathleen,  was 
bought  in  Connemara? 

CATHLEEN 
Coming  down. 

Give  it  to  him,  Nora;  it's  on  a  nail  by  the 
white  boards.  I  hung  it  up  this  morning,  for 
the  pig  with  the  black  feet  was  eating  it. 

NORA 

Giving  him  a  rope. 
Is  that  it,  Bartley? 

MAURYA 
You'd  do  right  to  leave  that  rope,  Bartley, 


RIDERS    TO    THE    SEA 

hanging  by  the  boards  (Bart ley  takes  the 
rope).  It  will  be  wanting  in  this  place,  I'm 
telling  you,  if  Michael  is  washed  up  to- 
morrow morning,  or  the  next  morning,  or  any 
morning  in  the  week,  for  it's  a  deep  grave 
we'll  make  him  by  the  grace  of  God. 

BARTLEY 
Beginning  to  work  with  the  rope. 

I've  no  halter  the  way  I  can  ride  down  on 
the  mare,  and  I  must  go  now  quickly.  This 
is  the  one  boat  going  for  two  weeks  or  beyond 
it,  and  the  fair  will  be  a  good  fair  for  horses 
I  heard  them  saying  below. 

MAURYA 

It's  a  hard  thing  they'll  be  saying  below  if 
the  body  is  washed  up  and  there's  no  man 
in  it  to  make  the  coffin,  and  I  after  giving  a 
big  price  for  the  finest  white  boards  you'd 
find  in  Connemara. 

She  looks  round  at  the  boards. 

BARTLEY 

How  would  it  be  washed  up,  and  we  after 
looking  each  day  for  nine  days,  and  a  strong 
wind  blowing  a  while  back  from  the  west  and 
south  ? 

23 


RIDERS    TO    THE    SEA 

MAURYA 

If  it  wasn't  found  itself,  that  wind  is 
raising  the  sea,  and  there  was  a  star  up  against 
the  moon,  and  it  rising  in  the  night.  If  it 
was  a  hundred  horses,  or  a  thousand  horses 
you  had  itself,  what  is  the  price  of  a  thousand 
horses  against  a  son  where  there  is  one  son 
only? 

BARTLEY 

Working  at  the  halter,  to  Cathleen. 

Let  you  go  down  each  day,  and  see  the 
sheep  aren't  jumping  in  on  the  rye,  and  if  the 
jobber  comes  you  can  sell  the  pig  with  the 
black  feet  if  there  is  a  good  price  going. 

MAURYA 

How  would  the  like  of  her  get  a  good 
price  for  a  pig? 

BARTLEY 
To  Cathleen. 

If  the  west  wind  holds  with  the  last  bit  of 
the  moon  let  you  and  Nora  get  up  weed 
enough  for  another  cock  for  the  kelp.  It's 
hard  set  we'll  be  from  this  day  with  no  one 
in  it  but  one  man  to  work. 


RIDERS    TO    THE    SEA 

drownd'd  with  the  rest.  What  way  will  I 
live  and  the  girls  with  me,  and  I  an  old 
woman  looking  for  the  grave? 

Hartley  lays  down  the  halter,  takes 

off  his  old  coat,  and  puts  on  a  newer 

one  of  the  same  flannel. 

BARTLEY 
To  Nora. 
Is  she  coming  to  the  pier? 

NORA 

Looking  out. 

She's  passing  the  green  head  and  letting 
fall  her  sails. 

BARTLEY 
Getting  his  purse  and  tobacco. 

I'll  have  half  an  hour  to  go  down,  and  you'll 
see  me  coming  again  in  two  days,  or  in  three 
days,  or  maybe  in  four  days  if  the  wind  is 
bad. 

MAURYA 

Turning  round  to  the  fire,  and  put- 
ing  her  shawl  over  her  head. 

Isn't  it  a  hard  and  cruel  man  won't  hear 
a  word  from  an  old  woman,  and  she  holding 
him  from  the  sea? 


RIDERS    TO    THE    SEA 
CATHLEEN 

It's  the  life  of  a  young  man  to  be  going  on 
the  sea,  and  who  would  listen  to  an  old  woman 
with  one  thing  and  she  saying  it  over? 

BARTLEY 
Taking  the  halter. 

I  must  go  now  quickly.  I'll  ride  down  on 
the  red  mare,  and  the  gray  pony  '11  run  behind 
me.  .  .  The  blessing  of  God  on  you. 

He  goes  out. 

MAURYA 
Crying  out  as  he  is  in  the  door. 

He's  gone  now,  God  spare  us,  and  we'll  not 
see  him  again.  He's  gone  now,  and  when  the 
black  night  is  falling  I'll  have  no  son  left  me 
in  the  world. 

CATHLEEN 

Why  wouldn't  you  give  him  your  blessing 
and  he  looking  round  in  the  door?  Isn't  it 
sorrow  enough  is  on  every  one  in  this  house 
without  your  sending  him  out  with  an  unlucky 
word  behind  him,  and  a  hard  word  in  his  ear? 

Maurya    takes    up    the    tongs    and 
begins  raking  the  fire  aimlessly  with- 
out looking  round. 
26 


RIDERS    TO    THE    SEA 

NORA 
Turning  towards  her. 

You're  taking  away  the  turf  from  the 
cake. 

CATHLEEN 

Crying  out. 

The  Son  of  God  forgive  us,  Nora,  we're 
after  forgetting  his  bit  of  bread. 

She  comes  over  to  the  fire. 

NORA 

And  it's  destroyed  he'll  be  going  till  dark 
night,  and  he  after  eating  nothing  since  the 
sun  went  up. 

CATHLEEN 
Turning  the  cake  out  of  the  oven. 

It's  destroyed  he'll  be,  surely.  There's  no 
sense  left  on  any  person  in  a  house  where  an 
old  woman  will  be  talking  for  ever. 

Maurya  sways  herself  on  her  stool. 

CATHLEEN 

Cutting  off  some  of  the  bread  and 
rolling  it  in  a  cloth;  to  Maurya. 

Let  you  go  down  now  to  the  spring  well 
and  give  him  this  and  he  passing.    You'll  see 
27 


RIDERS    TO    THE    SEA 

him  then  and  the  dark  word  will  be  broken, 
and  you  can  say  "  God  speed  you,"  the  way 
he'll  be  easy  in  his  mind. 

MAURYA 
Taking  the  bread. 
Will  I  be  in  it  as  soon  as  himself? 

CATHLEEN 
If  you  go  now  quickly. 

MAURYA 

Standing  up  unsteadily. 
It's  hard  set  I  am  to  walk. 

CATHLEEN 
Looking  at  her  anxiously. 

Give  her  the  stick,  Nora,  or  maybe  she'H 
slip  on  the  big  stones. 

NORA 

What  stick? 

CATHLEEN 
The  stick  Michael  brought  from  Connemara. 

MAURYA 

Taking  a  stick  Nora  gives  her. 
In   the   big   world    the   old   people   do   be 
leaving  things  after  them  for  their  sons  and 
28 


RIDERS    TO    THE    SEA 

children,  but  in  this  place  it  is  the  young  men 
do  be  leaving  things  behind  for  them  that  do 
be  old. 

She  goes  out  slowly. 

Nora  goes  over  to  the  ladder. 

CATHLEEN 

Wait,  Nora,  maybe  she'd  turn  back  quickly. 
She's  that  sorry,  God  help  her,  you  wouldn't 
know  the  thing  she'd  do. 

NORA 

Is  she  gone  round  by  the  bush? 

CATHLEEN 
Looking  out. 

She's  gone  now.    Throw  it  down  quickly, 
for  the  Lord  knows  when  she'll  be  out  of  it 

again. 

NORA 

Getting  the  bundle  from  the  loft. 

The  young  priest  said  he'd  be  passing  to- 
morrow, and  we  might  go  down  and  speak 
to  him  below  if  it's  Michael's  they  are  surely. 

CATHLEEN 

Taking  the  bundle. 

Did  he  say  what  way  they  were  found? 
29 


RIDERS    TO    THE    SEA 

NORA 

Coming  down. 

"  There  were  two  men,"  says  he,  "  and  they 
rowing  round  with  poteen  before  the  cocks 
crowed,  and  the  oar  of  one  of  them  caught  the 
body,  and  they  passing  the  black  cliffs  of  the 
north." 

CATHLEEN 

Trying  to  open  the  bundle. 

Give  me  a  knife,  Nora,  the  string's  perished 
with  the  salt  water,  and  there's  a  black  knot 
on  it  you  wouldn't  loosen  in  a  week. 

NORA 

Giving  her  a  knife. 
I've  heard  tell  it  was  a  long  way  to  Donegal. 

CATHLEEN 
Cutting  the  string. 

It  is  surely.  There  was  a  man  in  here  a 
while  ago  —  the  man  sold  us  that  knife  — 
and  he  said  if  you  set  off  walking  from  the 
rocks  beyond,  it  would  be  seven  days  you'd 
be  in  Donegal. 

NORA 

And  what  time  would  a  man  take,  and  he 
floating? 

30 


RIDERS    TO    THE    SEA 

Cathleen  opens  the  bundle  and  takes 

out  a  bit  of  a  stocking.     They  look 

at  them  eagerly. 

CATHLEEN 
In  a  low  voice. 

The  Lord  spare  us,  Nora!  isn't  it  a  queer 
hard  thing  to  say  if  it's  his  they  are  surely? 

NORA 

I'll  get  his  shirt  off  the  hook  the  way  we 
can  put  the  one  flannel  on  the  other  (she 
looks  through  some  clothes  hanging  in  the 
corner.}  It's  not  with  them,  Cathleen,  and 
where  will  it  be? 

CATHLEEN 

I'm  thinking  Bartley  put  it  on  him  in  the 
morning,  for  his  own  shirt  was  heavy  with 
the  salt  in  it  (pointing  to  the  corner} .  There's 
a  bit  of  a  sleeve  was  of  the  same  stuff.  Give 
me  that  and  it  will  do. 

Nora  brings  it  to  her  and  they  com- 
pare the  flannel. 

CATHLEEN 

It's  the  same  stuff,  Nora;  but  if  it  is  itself 
aren't  there  great  rolls  of  it  in  the  shops  of 
Galway,  and  isn't  it  many  another  man  may 
have  a  shirt  of  it  as  well  as  Michael  himself? 


RIDERS    TO    THE    SEA 
NORA 

Who  has  taken  up  the  stocking  and 
counted  the  stitches,  crying  out. 

It's  Michael,  Cathleen,  it's  Michael;  God 
spare  his  soul,  and  what  will  herself  say  when 
she  hears  this  story,  and  Bartley  on  the  sea  ? 

CATHLEEN 
Taking  the  stocking. 
It's  a  plain  stocking. 

NORA 

It's  the  second  one  of  the  third  pair  I 
knitted,  and  I  put  up  three  score  stitches,  and 
I  dropped  four  of  them. 

CATHLEEN 
Counts  the  stitches. 

It's  that  number  is  in  it  (crying  out.} 
Ah,  Nora,  isn't  it  a  bitter  thing  to  think  of 
him  floating  that  way  to  the  far  north,  and 
no  one  to  keen  him  but  the  black  hags  that  do 
be  flying  on  the  sea? 

NORA 

Swinging  herself  round,  and  throw- 
ing out  her  arms  on  the  clothes. 

And  isn't  it  a  pitiful  thing  when  there  is 
32 


RIDERS    TO    THE    SEA 

nothing  left  of  a  man  who  was  a  great  rower 
and  fisher,  but  a  bit  of  an  old  shirt  and  a  plain 
stocking? 

CATHLEEN 
After  an  instant. 

Tell  me  is  herself  coming,  Nora?  I  hear 
a  little  sound  on  the  path. 

NORA 

Looking  out. 

She  is,  Cathleen.  She's  coming  up  to  the 
door. 

CATHLEEN 

Put  these  things  away  before  she'll  come 
in.  Maybe  it's  easier  she'll  be  after  giving 
her  blessing  to  Bartley,  and  we  won't  let  on 
we've  heard  anything  the  time  he's  on  the  sea. 

NORA 

Helping  Cathleen  to  close  the  bundle. 
We'll  put  them  here  in  the  corner. 

They  put  them  into  a  hole  in  the 

chimney  corner.    Cathleen  goes  back 

to  the  spinning-wheel. 

NORA 

Will  she  see  it  was  crying  I  was? 
33 


RIDERS    TO    THE    SEA 
CATHLEEN 

Keep  your  back  to  the  door  the  way  the 
light'll  not  be  on  you. 

Nora  sits  down  at  the  chimney 
corner,  with  her  back  to  the  door. 
Maurya  comes  in  very  slowly,  with- 
out looking  at  the  girls,  and  goes 
over  to  her  stool  at  the  other  side  of 
of  the  fire.  The  cloth  with  the  bread 
is  still  in  her  hand.  The  girls  look 
at  each  other,  and  Nora  points  to 
the  bundle  of  bread. 

CATHLEEN 

After  spinning  for  a  moment. 
You  didn't  give  him  his  bit  of  bread? 

Maurya  begins  to  keen  softly,  with- 
out turning  round. 

CATHLEEN 

Did  you  see  him  riding  down? 
Maurya  goes  on  keening. 

CATHLEEN 
A  little  impatiently. 

God  forgive  you;  isn't  it  a  better  thing  to 
raise  your  voice  and  tell  what  you  seen,  than 
to  be  making  lamentation  for  a  thing  that's 
34 


RIDERS    TO    THE    SEA 

done?     Did  you  see  Bartley,   I'm  saying  to 
you. 

MAURYA 
With  a  weak  voice. 
My  heart's  broken  from  this  day. 

CATHLEEN 
As  before. 

Did  you  see  Bartley? 

MAURYA 
I  seen  the  fearfulest  thing. 

CATHLEEN 
Leaves  her  wheel  and  looks  out. 

God  forgive  you;  he's  riding  the  mare  now 
over  the  green  head,  and  the  gray  pony  behind 
him. 

MAURYA 

Starts,  so  that  her  shawl  falls  back 
from  her  head  and  shows  her  white 
tossed  hair.  With  a  frightened  voice. 

The  gray  pony  behind  him. 

CATHLEEN 
Coming  to  the  fire. 
What  is  it  ails  you,  at  all? 
35 


RIDERS    TO    THE    SEA 

MAURYA 
Speaking  very  slowly. 

I've  seen  the  fearfulest  thing  any  person 
has  seen,  since  the  day  Bride  Dara  seen  the 
dead  man  with  the  child  in  his  arms. 

CATHLEEN  AND  NORA 
Uah. 

They  crouch  down  in  front  of  the 
old  woman  at  the  fire. 

NORA 
Tell  us  what  it  is  you  seen. 

MAURYA 

I  went  down  to  the  spring  well,  and  I 
stood  there  saying  a  prayer  to  myself.  Then 
Bartley  came  along,  and  he  riding  on  the  red 
mare  with  the  gray  pony  behind  him  (she 
puts  up  her  hands,  as  if  to  hide  something 
from  her  eyes.}  The  Son  of  God  spare  us, 
Nora! 

CATHLEEN 

What  is  it  you  seen. 

MAURYA 
I  seen  Michael  himself. 

CATHLEEN 
Speaking  softly. 

36 


RIDERS    TO    THE    SEA 

You  did  not,  mother;  It  wasn't  Michael 
you  seen,  for  his  body  is  after  being  found 
in  the  far  north,  and  he's  got  a  clean  burial 
by  the  grace  of  God. 

MAURYA 
A  little  defiantly. 

I'm  after  seeing  him  this  day,  and  he  riding 
and  galloping.  Bartley  came  first  on  the  red 
mare ;  and  I  tried  to  say  "  God  speed  you," 
but  something  choked  the  words  in  my  throat. 
He  went  by  quickly ;  and  "  the  blessing  of  God 
on  you,"  says  he,  and  I  could  say  nothing.  I 
looked  up  then,  and  I  crying,  at  the  gray  pony, 
and  there  was  Michael  upon  it  —  with  fine 
clothes  on  him,  and  new  shoes  on  his  feet. 

CATHLEEN 
Begins  to  keen. 

It's  destroyed  we  are  from  this  day.  It's 
destroyed,  surely. 

NORA 

Didn't  the  young  priest  say  the  Almighty 
God  wouldn't  leave  her  destitute  with  no  son 
living? 

MAURYA 

In  a  low  voice,  but  dearly, 
37 


RIDERS    TO    THE    SEA 

It's  little  the  like  of  him  knows  of  the  sea. 

.  .  .  Bartley  will  be  lost  now,  and  let 
you  call  in  Eamon  and  make  me  a  good  coffin 
out  of  the  white  boards,  for  I  won't  live  after 
them.  I've  had  a  husband,  and  a  husband's 
father,  and  six  sons  in  this  house  —  six  fine 
men,  though  it  was  a  hard  birth  I  had  with 
every  one  of  them  and  they  coming  to  the 
world  —  and  some  of  them  were  found  and 
some  of  them  were  not  found,  but  they're 
gone  now  the  lot  of  them.  .  .  There  were 
Stephen,  and  Shawn,  were  lost  in  the  great 
wind,  and  found  after  in  the  Bay  of  Gregory 
of  the  Golden  Mouth,  and  carried  up  the  two 
of  them  on  the  one  plank,  and  in  by  that  door. 

She  pauses  for  a  moment,  the  girls 
start  as  if  they  heard  something 
through  the  door  that  is  half  open 

behind  them. 

NORA 

In  a  whisper. 

Did  you  hear  that,  Cathleen  ?  Did  you  hear 
a  noise  in  the  north-east? 

CATHLEEN 
In  a  whisper. 

There's  some  one  after  crying  out  by  the 
seashore. 

38 


RIDERS    TO    THE    SEA 

MAURYA 
Continues  without  hearing  anything. 

There  was  Sheamus  and  his  father,  and  his 
own  father  again,  were  lost  in  a  dark  night, 
and  not  a  stick  or  sign  was  seen  of  them  when 
the  sun  went  up.  There  was  Patch  after  was 
drowned  out  of  a  curagh  that  turned  over. 
I  was  sitting  here  with  Hartley,  and  he  a 
baby,  lying  on  my  two  knees,  and  I  seen  two 
women,  and  three  women,  and  four  women 
coming  in,  and  they  crossing  themselves,  and 
not  saying  a  word.  I  looked  out  then,  and 
there  were  men  coming  after  them,  and  they 
holding  a  thing  in  the  half  of  a  red  sail,  and 
water  dripping  out  of  it  —  it  was  a  dry  day, 
Nora  —  and  leaving  a  track  to  the  door. 

She  pauses  again  with  her  hand 
stretched  out  towards  the  door.  It 
opens  softly  and  old  women  begin 
to  come  in,  crossing  themselves  on 
the  threshold,  and  kneeling  down  in 
front  of  the  stage  with  red  petti- 
coats over  their  heads. 

MAURYA 

Half  in  a  dream,  to  Cathie  en. 
Js  it  Patch,  or  Michael,  or  what  is  it  at  all? 


RIDERS    TO    THE    SEA 
CATHLEEN 

Michael  is  after  being  found  in  the  far 
north,  and  when  he  is  found  there  how  could 
he  be  here  in  this  place? 

MAURYA 

There  does  be  a  power  of  young  men 
floating  round  in  the  sea,  and  what  way  would 
they  know  if  it  was  Michael  they  had,  or 
another  man  like  him,  for  when  a  man  is 
nine  days  in  the  sea,  and  the  wind  blowing, 
it's  hard  set  his  own  mother  would  be  to  say 
what  man  was  it. 

CATHLEEN 

It's  Michael,  God  spare  him,  for  they're 
after  sending  us  a  bit  of  his  clothes  from  the 
far  north. 

She  reaches  out  and  hands  Maurya 
the  clothes  that  belonged  to  Michael. 
Maurya  stands  up  slowly,  and  takes 
them  in  her  hands.  Nora  looks  out. 

NORA 

They're  carrying  a  thing  among  them  and 
there's  water  dripping  out  of  it  and  leaving 
a  track  by  the  big  stones. 

40 


RIDERS    TO    THE    SEA 
CATHLEEN 

In   a   whisper   to    the  women   who 
have  come  in. 
Is  it  Bartley  it  is? 

ONE  OF  THE  WOMEN 

It  is  surely,  God  rest  his  soul. 

Two  younger  women  come  in  and 
pull  out  the  table.  Then  men  carry 
in  the  body  of  Bartley,  laid  on  a 
plank,  with  a  bit  of  a  sail  over  it, 
and  lay  it  on  the  table. 

CATHLEEN 

To  the  women,  as  they  are  doing  so. 
What  way  was  he  drowned? 

ONE  OF  THE  WOMEN 

The  gray  pony  knocked  him  into  the  sea, 
and  he  was  washed  out  where  there  is  a 
great  surf  on  the  white  rocks. 

Maurya  has  gone  over  and  knelt 
down  at  the  head  of  the  table.  The 
women  are  keening  softly  and  sway- 
ing themselves  with  a  slow  move- 
ment. Cathleen  and  Nora  kneel  at 
the  other  end  of  the  table.  The  men 
kneel  near  the  door. 

41 


RIDERS    TO    THE    SEA 
MAURYA 

Raising  her  head  and  speaking  as  if 
she  did  not  see  the  people  around  her. 

They're  all  gone  now,  and  there  isn't  any- 
thing more  the  sea  can  do  to  me.  .  .  .  I'll 
have  no  call  now  to  be  up  crying  and  praying 
when  the  wind  breaks  from  the  south,  and 
you  can  hear  the  surf  is  in  the  east,  and  the 
surf  is  in  the  west,  making  a  great  stir  with 
the  two  noises,  and  they  hitting  one  on  the 
other.  I'll  have  no  call  now  to  be  going  down 
and  getting  Holy  Water  in  the  dark  nights 
after  Samhain,  and  I  won't  care  what  way 
the  sea  is  when  the  other  women  will  be 
keening.  (To  Nora).  Give  me  the  Holy 
Water,  Nora,  there's  a  small  sup  still  on  the 
dresser. 

Nora  gives  it  to  her. 

MAURYA 

Drops  Michael's  clothes  across  Bart- 
ley's  feet,  and  sprinkles  the  Holy 
Water  over  him. 

It  isn't  that  I  haven't  prayed  for  you, 
Bartley,  to  the  Almighty  God.  It  isn't  that 
I  haven't  said  prayers  in  the  dark  night  till 
you  wouldn't  know  what  I'ld  be  saying;  but 
it's  a  great  rest  I'll  have  now,  and  it's, 
43 


RIDERS    TO    THE    SEA 

time  surely.  It's  a  great  rest  I'll  have  now, 
and  great  sleeping  in  the  long  nights  after 
Samhain,  if  it's  only  a  bit  of  wet  flour  we 
do  have  to  eat,  and  maybe  a  fish  that  would 
be  stinking. 

She    kneels    down    again,    crossing 
herself,    and   saying   prayers   under 

her  breath. 

CATHLEEN 
To  an  old  man. 

Maybe  yourself  and  Eamon  would  make  a 
coffin  when  the  sun  rises.  We  have  fine  white 
boards  herself  bought,  God  help  her,  thinking 
Michael  would  be  found,  and  I  have  a  new 
cake  you  can  eat  while  you'll  be  working. 

THE  OLD  MAN 
Looking  at  the  boards. 
Are  there  nails  with  them? 

CATHLEEN 

There  are  not,  Colum;  we  didn't  think  of 
the  nails. 

ANOTHER  MAN 

It's  a  great  wonder  she  wouldn't  think  of 
the  nails,  and  all  the  coffins  she's  seen  made 
already, 

43 


RIDERS    TO    THE    SEA 

CATHLEEN 
It's  getting  old  she  is,  and  broken. 

Maurya  stands  up  again  very  slowly 
and  spreads  out  the  pieces  of 
Michael's  clothes  beside  the  body, 
sprinkling  them  with  the  last  of  the 

Holy  Water. 

NORA 
In  a  whisper  to  Cathleen. 

She's  quiet  now  and  easy;  but  the  day 
Michael  was  drowned  you  could  hear  her  cry- 
ing out  from  this  to  the  spring  well.  It's 
fonder  she  was  of  Michael,  and  would  any 
one  have  thought  that  ? 

CATHLEEN 
Slowly  and  clearly. 

An  old  woman  will  be  soon  tired  with  any- 
thing she  will  do,  and  isn't  it  nine  days  herself 
is  after  crying  and  keening,  and  making  great 
sorrow  in  the  house? 

MAURYA 

Puts  the  empty  cup  mouth  down- 
wards  on   the   table,   and  lays  her 
hands  together  on  Bartley's  feet. 

They're  all  together  this  time,  and  the  end 
44 


RIDERS    TO    THE    SEA 

is  come.  May  the  Almighty  God  have  mercy 
on  Hartley's  soul,  and  on  Michael's  soul,  and 
on  the  souls  of  Sheamus  and  Patch,  and 
Stephen  and  Shawn  (bending  her  head} ; 
and  may  He  have  mercy  on  my  soul,  Nora, 
and  on  the  soul  of  every  one  is  left  living  in 
the  world. 

She  pauses,  and  the  keen  rises  a  little 
more  loudly  from  the  women,  then 

sinks  away. 

MAURYA 

Continuing. 

Michael  has  a  clean  burial  in  the  far  north, 
by  the  grace  of  the  Almighty  God.  Bartley 
will  have  a  fine  coffin  out  of  the  white  boards, 
and  a  deep  grave  surely.  What  more  can  we 
want  than  that?  No  man  at  all  can  be  living 
for  ever,  and  we  must  be  satisfied. 

She  kneels  down  again  and  the  cur- 
tain falls  slowly. 


45 


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